


Chronicles of the Rose

by Verflair



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: ARR to Shadowbringers, Bard Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Character Loss, Dancer Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Summoner Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), slow-burn romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:35:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22297156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verflair/pseuds/Verflair
Summary: Some various short-to-medium length stories regarding my Warrior of Light, Akshi. Akshi is more or less a WoL!AU of my RP character, X'ani, but with some major variations in job choices as well as the progression of their story. This is kind of a test run at the moment as I'm just getting back into writing actual stories again after years, so PLEASE give me some tips and pointers on how to improve, if you can!I will be writing this with the expectations that the reader already knows what happens in the game's MSQ, so please, if you AREN'T caught up with FFXIV's main story, please note that this story WILL contain spoilers for the general MSQ, as well as potential side content such as the Crystal Tower storyline and job quests.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light, G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light/Original Character(s), Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 3





	Chronicles of the Rose

Akshi slouched into the back of his chair, the eyes of the various leaders of Eorzea and his Scion companions all staring him down with obvious interest and intent.

  
“I had admittedly had my doubts at first when I looked upon you, but you ARE them: The Warrior of Light! By the Twelve, so you did survive after all!” The Lalafellin sultana of Ul’dah exclaimed joyfully, practically ready to leap out of her silken moccasins in her errant excitement.

  
“Someone with his level of prowess? Hardly surprising, your Grace.” Her right-hand, Raubahn, giving a nod at his observation. He’d already seen Akshi’s work dispersing various criminals in the Pearl Lane, many posed to harm innocents. The Miqo’te was no mere bard, of course.

  
“Yes, yes, ‘tis all well and good. Full glad am I to hear we’ve an illustrious Warrior back within our lands once more. We’d all thought you and yours had off and disappeared or died after Carteneau. Whatever happened to you, at any rate?” Merlwyb questioned, her dagger-like gaze catching Akshi’s violets with piercing curiosity.

  
“Ah. Well, Louisoix and his various tricks tended to help out with making me survive Bahamut’s final blow. Twelve rest his soul for that, really.” All of the Scions nodded assent, with a quiet mournfulness for their fallen mentor. “Though, to be perfectly honest, the Warrior of Light? I was merely helping raise the spirits of your soldiers. I’m hardly… whatever hero or such that you all seem to think I am, but I suppose if the shoe fits, no?”. Akshi smiled happily, his pale face lighting with mirthful pink to match the subtle highlights in his crimson hair.

  
“With all due respect, my friends, I believe it’s about time we allowed Akshi the chance to recuperate. When next you need us, the Scions will be available.” Minfilia gently replied, as the leaders of the Alliance took their leave, leaving the newfound Warrior of Light with just the Antecedent, who sat at her desk, leaning forward on her elbows planted on the table. “Now then, my dear friend. I know that we have asked much of you in recent months, and I encourage you to take a sennight or two to rest firstly, but I did receive a message shortly after the Empire’s defeat but a few days ago. You remember the Sons of Saint Coinach, yes? Their leader, Remmbroes, contacted me asking for our assistance on a matter most crucial to Eorzea’s history. They’d heard of your deeds at the Praetorium and hoped you would soon be available to assist them. I did remind them that our operation had just recently concluded, and that you’d require some rest, but-“

  
“Minfilia, it’s alright.” Akshi interrupted with a raised hand, sitting up in his chair. “I’ve got plenty of energy in me to spare. If they need a helping hand, let them know I’ll be in Revenant’s Toll by tomorrow morning. First, though, I need to see about making myself a new bow. Lahabrea unfortunately ripped the one I had to shreds. By the time I’d gotten a moment alone, the poor thing fell apart!” he chuckled with a smile.

  
“I can always request a bow be made for you. Perhaps Thancred could offer you his old longbow. He hardly has need of it, now that his skills lie more with his daggers.” The Highlander woman offered with a gentle, sisterly smile.

  
“I’d hardly want to trouble him while he still rests.” Akshi purred, standing up and giving a bow. “I’ll be making my way back home for some rest myself, though. Let the Sons know about my answer?”. The Highlander nodded, and the Miqo’te’s aether began to channel as a teleportation spell whisked him away from the Waking Sands.

  
Later that evening, the crimson-haired Miqo’te found himself gazing over a myriad of new scars, earned after the battle against Gaius van Baelsar and his Ascian benefactor. A burn scar snaked its way up the length of his back, hooking over his left shoulder in a scarf of seared and stretched skin. The Ascian had managed to land one serious blow in his duel with the bard, a single lash of flame that cut like a claymore. Fortunately, the Elder Seedseer was more than happy to personally attend to his wounds soon after their victory, but the scar the wound left was considerably large against his pale skin. He pawed at the wound as he looked over his shoulder, wincing as the searing pain still stung fresh. His shoulders drooped as he resigned himself to his bed, practically throwing himself into it and staring listlessly in thought up at the ceiling.

  
“The Warrior… of Light, huh?”

* * *

“So you’re the hero that saved us from the Black Wolf, eh?” Rammbroes chuckled, patting a very sleep-deprived Akshi on the back with none-too-delicate force. A night spent pondering his future left the poor young Miqo’te a bit too dreary-eyed for the morning. “On behalf of the Sons of Saint Coinach, you have my thanks for your bravery! Now then, I trust Minfilia filled you in on why we’re here?”  
“Gods, Minfilia never tells me anything ahead of time unless it’s ‘Pray return to the Waking Sands’. She bloody loves that one, truth be told.” Akshi moaned with exhaustion. “Sorry, sorry. You were saying?”

  
“Ahem. Yes, well, we were intending on investigating the Crystal Tower itself. Recent developments have allowed us to fund an expedition into the Tower itself. However, we are as of yet unable to penetrate its defenses- A set of eight stone statues who destroy any entities that attempt to approach the tower’s gates, even by airship. This is where you come in.”

  
“Alright then! Let’s get to it, then, shall we?” the Miqo’te bard piped up quickly, bouncing on the balls of his heels.

  
“Ah, so that’s what she meant by you being… peppy.” Rammbroes remarked with a grin. “Fair enough! We’d attempted to breach the Tower previously, but found that it is guarded by a set of statues that assail any that attempt to enter, by land or air. To that end, I will need you to fetch a set of crystals from each of the different Beast Tribe lairs, and then a myriad of special aethersands that will allow us to refine them in such a way to reflect their defenses back at them.”

  
Akshi nodded understanding, and off he went to retrieve the necessary tools for the job. The crystals were of no difficulty for the bard. The same run-of-the-mill beastmen as before, the same usual songs and shots to take them all down. At least he could enjoy felling the Ixal of Coerthas, quietly grinning with a less-than-heroic grimace now and again as he let loose storms upon storms arrows into their battlements and reinforcements. Not even a hundred Ixal would ever pay him back for the misery their kind caused him as a child, but he could at least dream.

  
The aethersands gave the Warrior a great deal more trouble, but thanks to the timely appearance of Cid’s handy but clumsy assistants, Biggs and Wedge, he was able to obtain the first two bottles of aethersand rather easily. Unfortunately, the latter two were not so fortuitous.

  
Searching about Urth’s Gift for the ore that produced their third bottle of sand, Akshi came up short, an unseen ruffian absconding with their rare objective.  
“You are too late, adventurer─and not only for the entertainment. You will find no trace of the ore which but recently lay here. Nay, not so much as a speck.” The voice called out from high above the treetops, sneering with delight at Akshi’s misfortune.

  
“Get down here and give it back, you little shite!” Akshi growled, nocking an arrow from his quiver and aiming it in the direction of the voice.

  
“Ohoho, my apologies, sweet kitten, but you’ll have to engage in a little race first. There is another location wherein you can obtain your abrasives. The Ixali logging grounds in the Northern Shroud should make for a good finish line, don’t you think? Best hurry up, though! You wouldn’t want to lose twice in a row, now would you?” The voice once again sneered, before the distinct sound of rustling bushes filled in its direction.

  
Akshi groaned with exasperation. More godsdamned Ixal? “Starting to feel like I’m doing Rammbroes’ grocery shopping, at this point…”. He’d depart for the Shroud once more, this time taking no time at all as he practically danced about the Ixali camp to clear a path. Their primitive archery skills were nothing to his, really, and not a single arrow wasted of his own. Once the camp was finally clear, the ore was readily waiting for him, set aside in a neat little crate. A loud, sharp set of claps rung out in the distance, and once again the voice chimed in.

  
“Well done! I had planned on swooping in to take the ore whilst you were occupied there, but I was so enthralled by your performance, I’d completely forgotten! You deserve a reward. Proud Creek should have the remainder of your sands, and I’ve taken the liberty of refining the ore I’d won from you earlier today into the abrasives you require. If that performance was anything to say of your work to come, we’ll meet again, and more than likely very soon!”

  
The poor Miqo’te was just about done with the errands, but at least he didn’t have to worry about people absconding with the goods this time. He’d make his way back toward the ruined caves nearby, finding his prize in the form of a neatly tussled burlap bag of aethersands all refined and prepared for him.

  
“Twelve above, the bugger wasn’t kiddin’!” Akshi laughed, taking his reward and making his way back to the Sons, where they’d been discussing their plans to enter the tower.

  
Rammbroes caught sight of their Miqo’te ally on chocoboback, “Welcome back, my friend! Seems you’ve got the components we need in tow… or most of them, at any rate.”  
“I believe that would be my cue then!” A voice yet again boomed from overhead, but this time, not out of view… On the rafters above them, a man stood with a burlap bag perched in his hand, grinning over his shoulder. A little wag of a red, fluffed tail and a twitch of the ears accompanied, and the mysterious man dropped to the ground in a graceful landing in front of the Roegaedyn and Miqo’te.

  
“I told you we’d meet again, my friend!”


End file.
